News

February 15, 2012

Revere Man Wins Trip To Anywhere In The World

When Matthew Nixon bought a Missouri Lottery Powerball ticket during the recent jackpot run, he also received a Bonus Raffle ticket for the “Go Anywhere Getaway” promotion. He found out a few days after the drawing that it was the Bonus Raffle ticket that made him a winner. Nixon, 24, had the grand-prize winning ticket in the second weekly drawing in the promotion, which meant a trip for two to anywhere in the world, valued at $16,901.

“It was a couple of days after the drawing,” recalled Nixon. “I was sick; I had walking pneumonia, and I wasn’t working. I went over to check my tickets in Missouri, and I found out I was a winner.”

Nixon works for an Illinois road builder and spends his weeks in Quincy. He bought the winning ticket at County Market Express, 104 Lake Ave., in Wayland.

“Everybody behind the counter was so excited for me,” he continued. “I was coughing so bad and felt horrible, that I didn’t even look excited!”

Grand-prize winners in the “Go Anywhere Getaway” promotion can have the Lottery plan a vacation for them or select to receive $12,000 in cash. The Lottery pays the taxes on the prize. Nixon opted for the cash payment.

“It’s really going to help out, you know?” Nixon said. “The money is really, really going to come in handy.”

Nixon is the second grand-prize winner in the “Go Anywhere Getaway” promotion, which ended Feb. 11. In all, four players won a trip for two to anywhere in the world. Additionally, 20 players won a travel prize package, and 400 players won $100 in the promotion.

“I just play Powerball when it gets over a certain amount, when it gets up there over $100 million,” Nixon explained. “I got a couple (tickets), and I just got the raffle ticket.”

“It was a huge surprise to me,” he continued. “Everybody I talked to, my family and friends said, ‘Wow, I’ve never known anybody who won that much money!’ They think it’s pretty cool.”

Nixon said he’ll continue to play the occasional Lottery ticket.

“I can’t thank the Missouri Lottery enough,” he said. “I’m just really lucky; luck of the draw, I guess.”

The “Go Anywhere Getaway” was a promotion tied to the launch of the new Powerball game. Players can check the winning Bonus Raffle numbers on Molottery.com, or scan Bonus Raffle tickets on Check-A-Ticket machines located at Missouri Lottery retail locations.